


Child of the Night

by DayLightDove



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: AUish, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, More characters to be added, Trauma, Younger!Adrian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2019-12-29 23:03:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18303572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DayLightDove/pseuds/DayLightDove
Summary: (AUish) What if Adrian was younger, both physically and mentally, when his mother was killed. What if he had been with her both when she was taken and when she was burned? His father rescued him and now has Adrian with him in the castle as he rages war, wanting to protest his traumatized little boy. How will this change things?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this is a new story.
> 
> So if any of you know me, I like doing aus, especially of my fav characters. This is now like, the third time I've deaged a character for the sake of a story sooo, yeah.
> 
> Anyway, Adrian/Alucard is younger in this both physically and mentally (in contrast to Youthful Soldier where it was just physcially) and I'm just going to see where this goes.
> 
> I don't own Castlevania.
> 
> Onto the story!

As the old woman knocked on the door of the home, the door opened to show a young blonde boy peeking through the gap between the door and the frame before he smiled and opened it wider for the older woman.

"Mrs. Truvara! Hello!" The twelve-year-old by called to her as he opened the door a little wider.

Mrs. Truvara smiled, "Hello, Adrian. Is it alright if I come in?"

Adrian nodded with a smile and allowed the elderly woman to enter his home as he closed the door behind her. After that he turned to her with a smile. "I'll go get my mom for you."

"That would be lovely, dear, thank you." Mrs. Truvara said as she sat down at the table near the fireplace.

Adrian dashed off to the kitchen area, a place his mother used both for making the two of them dinner as well as working on her medicines, and entered to find his mother going over one of the books his father had given her.

"Mom, Mrs. Truvara is here." The boy called getting his mother to look up from what she had been going over for no doubt the one-hundredth time.

"Oh? Thank you Adrian, I'll be right out." Lisa said as she stood up from her seat. She moved over to the much smaller fire burning in the kitchen and quickly brewed up a cup of tea for her guest. Looking at her son, she smiled at him. "Why don't you stay in here for a few minutes while we talk, ok? You can read some of your father's books if you'd like."

The boy's golden eyes shined at her words, his excitement for being able to learn more easily expressed to his mother. "Ok, thank you mother!"

Lisa just chuckled as she left the room listening to Adrian scurry off to sit in the chair she had previously occupied. After a few minutes of talking to Mrs. Truvara and learning more about her symptoms, Lisa headed back into the kitchen to wash her hands and get the medication the woman needed for her cough and lungs.

"Can leaves really be used as a medicine?" Lisa looked over at her son who was looking at her curiously. She shouldn't be surprised by this question, as with her child's advanced hearing it isn't the first time he's over heard her conversations with her clients.

"What have I told you about eavesdropping?" Lisa asked, raising an eyebrow at her son.

Adrian looked down in embarrassment. "Not to do it unless I absolutely need to." He replied before trying to defend himself. "But I couldn't help it! You're so close and everything you talk about is so interesting and I can't help but focus on it!"

"You still shouldn't do it." Lisa chided before smiling at her son. "But I won't stop your curiosity. As for your question, so leaves can be used as medicine, but most of the time only if they are given the correct corresponding elements of the medicine your making, and if they are safe to use. Just plain old tree leaves by themselves typically won't do anything to help."

Lisa couldn't help the smile on her face as she watched Adrian soak up all the information she had given him. The boy was just like his parents, so curious about the world but at least he should be able to learn as much as he wants. Due to his mixed nature between a vampire and a human-as well as the fact as no dhampir had ever be conceived before Adrian and lived-it was hard to say how his years would be. Vampires-after turning-do not age, while humans do. So far, his aging has been at random, sometimes aging two years in two months while other times staying the same age for over a year. Currently, the boy appeared to be about twelve to thirteen years old while his mentality was closer to the amount of years he's actually been alive for which was around nine-years-old. Now, his brain seemed to still be growing in accordance to his body-at least as far as she and her husband knew-but the boy still had to learn about new things. Honestly, Lisa wouldn't be surprised if her intelligent son actually knew more than children with both his mentality and his physical age with how much he read and asked questions about.

"Now," Lisa said as she walked over to the book on the table in front of Adrian. "I believe that Mrs. Truvara needs a specific type of medicine that has mold in it." Lisa said, scanning the book before finding what she was looking for. "Ah, yes, there it is. This shouldn't take too long now, especially since the dray parts have already been mixed up."

"Can I help?" Adrian asked.

Lisa hummed before nodding. "If you want to go grab me the dry powder for this mixture from the cabinet, that would be very helpful. It's the one with the pink string tied to the top."

"Ok!" With that, her boy was off.

It didn't take long for Lisa to put together the mixture she needed and soon she was carrying it out to Mrs. Truvara. After a few minutes of explaining the medicine to the older woman and convincing her to take it, Lisa was soon leading her to the door. However, the moment she opened it, she instantly knew something was not right. Before her stood five priests, the one in the middle clearly a bishop or some higher priest if his different clothing was anything to go by.

"Mrs. Lisa Tepes." The lead priest spoke, hands behind his back.

"Yes?" She asked before turning to look at Mrs. Truvara. "You go on home now." Lisa watched as the older woman walked down her steps and away, only to pause momentarily to look back before a look from one of the priests cause her to keep moving.

Lisa's attention was brought back to the head of the group when he spoke. "I am an emissary of the archbishop of Targoviste. Do I understand correctly that you serve as a...physician to this community?"

"I'm a doctor, yes." Lisa replied, stressing the doctor part to make her position clear. "Can I help you? Is the archbishop ill?"

The man did not answer her, for his next words were clearly directed at his priests. "You know what to look for."

With those words they were charging into her house. They shoved her out of the way as they moved in, but Lisa decided to ignore this as she followed them, calling after them. "What? What is it? What are you looking for? I will gladly give it to you."

"Silence." The leader spoke up as he entered the house behind her.

"I will not be silence." Lisa protested, her offence at his words seeping into her voice.

"Mom?" Her boy's voice cut in through the chaos and she watched as he stumbled out of the kitchen when one of the priests shoved him out of the way. "Mom, what's happening?"

"It's nothing, sweety," Lisa called to him. "Just let me handle this ok? You don't need to worry." As she spoke, she didn't notice the silent look the leading priest was giving her child and the silent look he gave to one of his priest.

Before they could get any further, the priest who had entered the kitchen came out and called to all of them to look in there. As they entered and spread around, Lisa staying close to the doorway with Adrian hiding behind her legs, the head priest spoke up once more.

"Satan's tools." He spat at the sight of her tools, looking around. "Make fire, clean it out."

"What?" Lisa gasped and she could feel her boy tense up behind her.

"We were told something was wrong here." The man spoke as he turned to look at Lisa. "What are you doing here that you need to subject the good people of this land to such fearsome engines?"

"Mom? What is he talking about?"

"I-I don't know." Lisa said, turning to look at Adrian for a brief moment before looking back. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

The man scoffed. "Look around you. Do you pretend these things are not witchcraft?"

Just then one of the other priests and moved to touch a machine that was used to help mix her medicines faster and better. Currently within the clamps were vials of blood she had prepared to mix in with Adrian's food so he never had to worry about going out to hunt without his father here. Watching the man scream at how it moved on its own was insanity to Lisa.

"What is this?" The leader questioned as he drew closer to Lisa.

"I-It's medicine." Lisa defended, backing up. She could tell by a soft growl from Adrian that her son did not approve of the intimidating posture he was giving his mover, but Lisa was quick to move her son out of the way and give him a quick shake of her head.

"How could engines of the devil be medicine?"

"Its old medicine." Lisa defended when she backed up into the table with the book. Looking back she was quick to grab it and hold it up. "Old sciences lost to history. I have-I mean I've studied times past and learned ways to serve our people more effectively. That's all."

He scoffed. "Paganism." And he let the book drop to the ground with a thump.

"No!" Lisa once again cried, not noticing the priest nearing her child as she spoke. "It's just...science. It has nothing to do with any god or-!"

"Nothing to do with God?" The priest question, rage clearly on his face.

"No! That's not what I meant!" Lisa tried to defend herself but she felt two of the other priests close in on her.

"Take her to the cathedral at Targoviste, there shall be an inquisition." As the men gripped her arms, she heard her boy cry out for her.

"Mom! Hey, stop it! Hey!" She looked over to see another priest had come up behind her child and gripped his arms. Adrian growled at the man, clearly showing his fangs and bright gold eyes as he used his strength to break away. As he turned to look at his mother, the young boy was suddenly hit with a splash of holy water from the leading priest in front of him, causing him to cry out at the burns.

"There, even more evidence of your witchcraft!" He cried, continuing to splash holy water onto her son whenever he twitched. "She has corrupted this young boy's soul with her magic!"

"No! Stop it! Please!" She cried, tears coming to her eyes at the torture they were bringing towards her son. "Please! He's innocent!"

"Innocent?" The leader scoffed. "If anything, he can burn with the rest of the magic in this room, that way there will be no trace of it."

"No! Wait! No...no, he's still human!" Lisa cried, trying anything to spare her son. "He's still human! Please, spare him!"

"Your emnissy!" One of the priest cried as they looked at her son. "He is not lighting up in flames like the foul creatures do when they are met with the water of God. Perhaps he can be exorcised from her spells on him."

The leader leaned closer to look at the boy and sure enough there only lay splatters of burns across his exposed skin, burns that look as if he had only touch a fire in the process of lighting it to slightly worse burns. The man knew if he was truly corrupted, then his skin would be charred on the spot, no extra drops on an old burn needed. As much as he would prefer to just kill the child here and be done with it, if the people of Targoviste saw that the might of God could even spare those of the devil's grasp then he knew they would run to them and the church even more.

And if the boy did not get cured? Well, they can easily show how deep Satan's grasp can be on the innocent if people decide to turn away from God.

"Alright, we'll take the boy with us. Should he not be saved when the witch is gone, then he will have to die as well."

"What?! No! No, please! Leave him!" Lisa cried, struggling unsuccessfully against the hands that held her. "Spare my child, please! Please...Please don't do this! You don't understand what you are doing! You don't know what you're going to bring upon yourselves if you do this!"

The man narrowed his eyes as he moved away from her child, one of the other priest moving in to deal with him and lift him up. "You dare threaten me?"

"No! Just, listen, please!" Lisa cried, trying to calm herself down but failing every time she sees her child. "Just...just let us go and we'll leave, you'll never see either of us again. Please, I can't promise your safety if you go any further! You've already harmed my boy, any further and...and-"

"You dare menese me with Satan?" With a wave of his hand he spoke. "Get them out of here before I strike her dead." He growled, allowing the priest to begin moving. A low moan drew her attention to her child, being held like a sack of potatoes over one of the shoulders of the priest and burns decorating his arms, legs, and head.

"Please, it's not Satan!" Lisa cried. "If…If you anger him he's worse! Because he's real! Please! He's come so far don't make him do it! Don't make him kill you all! Please! No!" She continued struggling as she was pulled from the kitchen, her ears quickly catching the noises of crashes as they trashed her place of work. However, her concern was no longer focused on that, the noise background music to the horror that was her burned son. Every time the boy would so much as twitch in the other's hold, the one holding him would be quick to bring up his other hand that held a flask of holy water and splash it upon him, making Adrian cry out weakly. Burns that started out as second degree burns worsened when the water would hit the ones already there with each splash.

As they were dragged out of the house, Lisa was forced to wait for the priests inside and watch her home burn before her eyes. Her son was likewise dropped down from his place on the man's shoulder to the ground, the child letting out soft groans at the contact before his slitted eyes widened at the sight of their home.

"No!" He struggled to get free once more, especially when his eyes locked onto those of his mother's. "Mom!"

"Adrian!" She cried, tears in her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as she knew if she were to freak out even more, Adrian would come rushing to her side like the loyal son he is. And she knew if he did that, the priests would be quick to punish her son's movements. "Adrian, I know this is a lot my son, but you need to calm down now, please."

Adrian's wide eyes were shining with his own pain and fear, tears filling up in the gold orbs. He was looking at his mother and his arms were straining to reach her. However, even injured his strength still surpassed those of the priests and Adrian ripped his arms from his captive's hands. The man cried out before quickly pulling his flask out once more and with quick flicks of his wrist was splashing the wicked liquid onto her son once more.

And it wasn't just him either, one of the men holding her joined as well, his own flask of holy water adding to the burns. Adrian's voice cried out and leaked with the pain of the burns, his faster healing doing nothing against that which was created to harm his other half.

"NO! No...please, please stop it! Stop hurting my boy!...Please!" Lisa cried, unable to hold back her tears as she struggled to reach her child, wanting just to hold him in her arms and shield him from the torment of these wicked men.

"Then he should behave." The leader's voice came from the doorway causing Lisa to whip her head to stare at him. The man stood as though he was the true devil with the way the flames burned behind him. "If he would not act out, we would have no reason to harm the child unless it is proven he cannot be saved by our Lord's salvation."

"Please, please just stop hurting him." Lisa wept. "He'll...H-He'll behave so...so please just stop…" she evened with a soft sob.

The man watched her for a few silent seconds before he waved his hand with a signal for the men to stop. The boy was left trembling on the ground, new burns stretching across his body in ways of dots and streaks. Lisa wept for her child's pain.

"Bring them to the wagon." The leader said. "But make sure they remain apart. It will do no go for us if she is able to strength her spells on the boy."

Lisa couldn't find the strength to protest as they dragged her away from her home. Her eyes were only on her son who was once again flopped into another priest's arms and carried off to the wagon hidden a few feet away.

The entire ride to the cathedral, Lisa's mind could only focus on two things: her child and what her husband would do to these people. She did not want him to kill them all, not when he has come so far from when they had first met and how she told him humans were not as horrible as he took them to be. This would ruin all of his progress and, if Adrian made it out of this, she hope it would not taint her poor child's heart.

She did not thrash when they pulled her from the wagon, he mind now focused on wanting to keep her child from any more harm. She did not cry when they cut her hair and stripped her down to her underclothing. The time she spent in the prison cell beneath the cathedral as they built the stake for her to burn at was painful as she lay in a cell across from her child with the bars coated in holy water. There was one priest down there that kept an eye on them at all times and would hush her when she attempted to calm and speak to Adrian.

She did not struggle when they hulled her in front of the crowd, knowing their minds have been too twisted by the poisonous words of these priests to believe anything she has to say. She only struggled slightly as she was bound to the wooden stake but it was after all this as they were about to light the flame that she protested.

For they had brought her son out there to watch her burn.

"No! No, do not let him see this! Please...please! Don't let him see me burn! Please!"

The emissary of the bishop ignored her once more as he spoke, telling the people of all her spells and evil deeds. He spoke of how Adrian would be there to show the power of God and the power of Satan, for he had not 'fallen' completely yet and with the witch's death, he may be saved.

But Lisa did not really listen, for her mind was focus on her wounded child who was once again held by a priest as he stared up at her bound form.

"Adrian...Adrian, my sweet child look away. Please, please do not watch this, I do not want you to watch this." Tears were streaming down her face with her words, thankful for this moment that her son's advanced hearing would allow for him to hear her over the shouts of the priest.

"Mom." Adrian choked out, his own voice wavering with tears.

"Please...Adrian." Lisa sobbed. As she saw the fire come near her, she spoke softly and full of love to her child. "Adrian, I love you." As she said this, they lit the fire.

"Mom? Mom! No! No-No, please, Mom!" Adrian cried, tears falling even faster from his eyes. Adrian could not help but watch his mother as she began to cry out towards his father over the shouts of the people. As the flames began to lick her skin and her cries echoed through the air.

"Please!" She cried. "Spare them! If you can hear...hear me, d-don't harm them-AH!" Her breaths came out as a combination of pants and coughs through her cries of pain and tears. "D-Don't hurt them, plea-Ah-se! They do not know what they...they are doing!"

"Mother!" Adrian cried, his own voice joining her own as he tried to break free of his captor's grip. Despite his injuries, he got free only to be tackled down by more priests and to have more holy water splashed upon him. His anguished cries now filled the air, both from the pain of his wounds and the pain of watching his mother die in a fiery death before him. "AHH!"

"His cries of pain echo that of the witch! Perhaps the evil is forcing its way from his skin!"

Adrian heard the shouts, but he could only focus on his mother. He tried to do as she wished, to not look, but it was so hard when her anguished cries echoed in his ears. He struggled against his captives even more, but this time he tried to follow his mother's wish, he tried not to hurt them as he fought to free himself.

By the time the screams had stopped, Adrian had been unable to help his mother. He could hear them all talking, but his mind was almost numb now as tears continued to freely spill from his eyes. His young mind was struggling to comprehend everything that had just occurred, alongside the amount of burns that coated his pale skin. He knew the priests were all still talking around him-about him-but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the burned skeleton within the flames. He knew each of of those bones from his studies, yet when had to realize that this body of blackened bones before him was his mother, nothing came to him.

The body of bones crumbled to the wooden planks below.

None of this was real, right?

A sudden explosion of fire drew him out of the floaty space his mind had been and his father's angry voice rang in his ears. His father? He was here? Where was he? Was he also in the flaming inferno like his mother?

Screams reached his ears, but it all felt far away. There were more explosions around him, fire falling from the sky, but all this vanished when a black cloak was suddenly around him and he was pulled into a familiar, comforting chest.

"Dad?" Adrian choked out, tears still falling from golden eyes as his hands curled into fists on his father's chest.

"Oh Adrian, by sweet boy." His father's voice spoke. "I am so sorry this has happened. But do not worry, they will pay for what they have done to you and your mother."

"Dad...I-I want to go home."

"Of course, Adrian, of course." With those words he was pulled in even closer and he was whisked away by a spell of fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was that. Basically went from happy and cute to traumatizing Adrian. That's how I work, I have problems.
> 
> Anywho, this should have more chapters (should being the key term). I hope you all liked it.
> 
> Feel free to comment or anything else.
> 
> Until next time! :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK so this is a next chapter!
> 
> Thank you all for your reviews/follows/favorites!
> 
> Look! I'm updating this! And I'm going to try to update again cause I kinda know what I want to do for the next chapter!
> 
> Also...See if you can catch a bit of foreshadowing in there. It doesn't outright say what it will be foreshadowing but it is a start to the hints I'll probably be dropping.
> 
> I'm also sorry if this chapter seems short. I just liked how it ended.
> 
> Onto the chapter!

Soft feet patted quickly across the castle's floors as the owner of the limbs searched room after room. Golden eyes darted back and forth from each room, a small fang coming out to worry against their bottom lip. Eventually, they came to a familiar room, their father's study, and they poked their head inside only to dart back out at the flames that flickered in the fireplace, a soft whimper leaving their lips.

"Adrian?" Their father called from inside the room at the sounds his advanced hearing was easily able to pick up. "Adrian, come back, what is it my dear boy?"

Adrian took a deep breath and opened his eyes from their clenched position. Clenching his fists, the boy glanced into the room once more only to find that his father was blocking all view of the fireplace from his gaze, letting the blonde relax and step further into view of his father in the doorway.

Dracula let his red eyes drift over his son, his heart clenching at the tense posture of his boy. That night he lost his wife to those cursed humans had not left his son unscarred. Physically, scars left by the holy water that had been splashed continuously onto his son had left their marks. Small streaks and speckles from the water decorated Adrian's body, most prominently on his arms and hands, no doubt due to the boy attempting to block the spray. There was one noticeable scar on his left cheek, a large spot right beneath his eye and a streak then falling from it from where the water dripped down from its original place. The appearance reminded Dracula of a tear, an appropriate appearance due to the atrocities that had been committed that day.

Outside of the physical scars left, Adrian developed a fear of fire, something Dracula was not surprised by. If he was by his father's side, Adrian was less fearful of the flames, feeling safer with his father near him. However, if he ever comes into contact with fire without knowing his father is nearby or is alone, Adrian will either flee or freeze up in terror. Sometimes, such as with the torches in the halls, as long as he didn't see them he was ok. However, there were times the sound of the fire triggered Adrian just as much as the sight, and Dracula was never more thankful that vampires could see in the dark at those times.

Using his power, Dracula made sure no sound or sight of the fireplace behind him was able to show itself to his son. Kneeling down, he tilted his head and offered a smile to the thirteen-year-old. "What would you like, Adrian?"

The blonde twisted his fingers together and a small fang once again worried at his lip. "Um….I wanted to see...if you wanted...to do anything...together?" He asked nervously, knowing that his father tended to be rather busy.

Dracula let out a sigh, his eyes falling sadly. "I wish I could, but I have a council meeting in an hour to go over our strategies for the war. We can do something afterwards, though."

The fang bit further into the lip. "...Ok…"

"I'm sorry, Adrian." Dracula said.

Adrian shook his head, golden locks falling in front of his face. "It's ok...I'll just go do something else."

"Adrian-"

"Really, it's fine!" Adrian said giving his father a hollow smile. "Good luck with the meeting!" With that he turned around and scurried away from the room.

Dracula stared after his son's retreating figure and his heart hurt past the never ending hollowness within. He made his way back to his chair and stared once more into the fireplace. Ever since the humans had taken his love from him, he felt empty inside, even with his son still around. He wanted to be there for him, truly, but the only thing he was truly aiming for was the destruction of mankind. Beyond that, he couldn't see much hope for anything. He tried, really he did to be there for Adrian but he couldn't help the black hole within him that kept him from seeing the joy of having his son still with him.

With a sigh, he turned to look at a picture of his wife. "Lisa, my love, what do I do?"

* * *

Adrian's eyes trailed along the floor as he walked away from his father's study. He didn't know why he was sad at the response he was given. After all, that's all that really happened now a days. He rarely saw his father, the man's time taken up by the war he was raging on the humans. And even when he did get to spend time with his father, it seemed like Dracula wasn't completely there with him, as though something had broken within him. He felt like he's lost both his father and his mother.

He just wanted his father back.

"Mom…" Adrian called out sadly, his gaze falling up a curtain in the hallway. Walking over to it, Adrian pushed the heavy cloth aside to see the outside world. It was currently sunset and Adrian couldn't help but relax at the peaceful landscape before him. A quiet, green field stretched out around the castle and a tree-line to a large forest was in the distance. The place was so peaceful, Adrian would have believed that there was no such war happening at the time.

The war. Adrian frowned at the thought of it. Honestly, he was very conflicted about the war, because not only was it taking his father away from him, but he couldn't help but feel there was something wrong with it. Distantly, he could recall his mother crying out during her execution, crying something about sparing the humans but when he tried to think further on it, more details and unpleasant parts of the death came forth making him clench his eyes shut and start trembling. His mind was being threatened with the old traumas he tried to keep buried, the memories wanting to drag him down into torment.

"Young master?" A voice called to him, breaking him out of his terror and making his eyes snap open. With a gasp, Adrian turned around to find Hector staring down at him with concerned eyes. "Are you alright?"

Adrian blinked up at the pale haired man before he looked down and out of the window once again. "...Yes."

Hector paused for a moment before he leaned against the wall besides the boy. "Young master...if anything is wrong, you can tell me if you wish."

Adrain shook his head, blonde locks shielding his eyes from the other. "No, nothing is wrong. I'm alright, Hector." He could hear the other still hesitating behind him and sighed. "Isn't there a meeting going on?"

Hector watched the young prince for a few moments before answering "...There is...but I don't think the master would be too upset should I be late or miss the meeting if it was due to me looking after his son. Besides, Issac will also be in attendance so one forgemaster will be there."

Once again Adrian shook his head. "No, it's alright Hector. I wouldn't want to disturb my father by taking you away from the meeting. Besides, things may go by easier if you're there, and then father might get a break." Allowing his gaze to leave the veil of hair, the young teen offered a smile. "Thank you for the offer though."

"You are sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah. I'll...I'll find something to do. I can always practice magic or my swordsmanship or I could even...explore the woods or something." Adrian gave a shrug. "I don't know but I'm sure I'll find something."

Hector seemed to hesitate a few more seconds before conceding. "Alright. Of course, if you wish, you can always let Cezar tag along with you."

Adrian's smile seemed slightly less forced at the offer of the revived pug. "Thank you, Hector."

"Well, I'll be off then." Hector replied as he gave a small bow to the younger male. "Good day, young master."

"Good day, Hector."

Adrian watched the other walk away before letting out another sigh, the smile slipping off his face. He turned his gaze back out to the beautiful landscape before him, taking in the peaceful sight for a short moment before pushing away from the window. He made his way through the quiet and sullen hallways, the air always tense no matter where he was in the castle. He made his way further into the building until he came to a wide, open room with a high ceiling. It was the room he and his father (and his mother back when she was alive) would practice their combat, whether it be through spells, shifting, or sword fighting.

The blonde's hand fell to the sword fastened in its sheath upon his hip. The sword was originally his mother's, ready to be passed down to him when he was older and more trained, but now that she was gone, his father had given it to him so that he would have another way to protect himself should he ever be attacked once again. Of course, with how paranoid Dracula was now due to the loss of his wife and the torture of his child, the sword was enchanted. Should Adrian need to, he could use his mind to wield the blade as an extension of himself and, should it ever come to it, Dracula made it so that the sword would protect his boy even without the teen actively making the sword fight. It was a special enchantment, one that Adrian could not yet comprehend, that would activate in dire situations but only once Adrian called upon the sword, be it by touch or mind. Then, if he was overwhelmed mentally or physically, the sword would act until deactivated by Adrian.

The teen both appreciated the protectiveness and thought it was not needed. After all, for the moment he would not be stepping so close to human towns where such situations would happen. And if humans somehow ever made it here, well, Adrian doubted his father would let them get even a step closer to him.

Pulling the blade from its sheath, Adrian was quick to allow it to hover in the air facing him. Then, he went to a weapons rack off to the side and drew a similar longsword to battle with, his left arm swiftly settling behind his back as he took up his dueling stance. Letting out a quiet breath, the dhampir quickly fell into step as he dueled with his invisible opponent. From there, time passed him by unknowingly as he focused his attention on improving his skills.

At one point as his was finishing striking down a multitude of moving dummies controlled by some of the many gears within this castle, a soft clapping reached his ears. Pausing in his training, Adrian shifted his stance and lowered his sword (which he had returned to his hands as he changed simulations) as he turned to look in the direction of the sound. There, off to the side of the entrance of the room, was a tall, pale woman with a thin and pointed face.

"Can I help you?" He asked, his golden eyes looking into her own piercing blue despite the uneasy feeling he was receiving from her.

"Oh, no, don't mind me." She replied with a thin smile. "I was merely taking a stroll through the castle when I heard you in here. I must say, you are a very skilled young man."

Adrian refused to respond, his eyes continuing to watch this unknown vampire.

"Ah, yes, I must apologize for you most likely do not recognize me." The woman exclaimed when he had refused to answer. "My name is Carmilla of Styria, one of your father's generals. I have only just arrived today to aid your father in his quest and before that I had never entered your home in the time that you dwelled here. I apologize if my new presence unnerved the you in any way, young master." With those words she took a step forward and gave a small bow to him.

"I see." Adrian replied. "But why did you stay and watch. I'm sure I'm not that impressive, especially to a general's skills."

"You underestimate yourself." She replied with a small shake of her head. "You are but only 13 summers and yet you are quite skilled in your combat. In fact, I think it would be a great honor to see you in a real duel, as I do believe you'd be able to hold your own quite well."

"Ah," Adrian sighed as he slipped his sword into the sheath on his side before moving to the control panel off to the side to reset the room. "Thank you, but you'd have to ask my father if I could duel as well as tell him who it would be. To do so without his permission…" Adrian shook his head. "No, he wouldn't be too happy."

"Oh? But surely you are capable enough to do so."

"No, I could risk getting hurt and I don't even want to think what would happen to the one I dueled if that were the case."

"But you'd be practicing and getting stronger. Surely that would show that even if you should be defeated, it would be alright."

"No, it wouldn't." Adrian sighed as he finished moving the levers he needed to in order to fix the room. "My father must be there when I train with another. If he can't be, it is someone who he trusts completely." Then he turned to face her once again. "But you have to understand, he still trains me, very well. He just...he's just worried about me, that's all."

"It's understandable." Carmilla said, moving to stand before the young dhampir, her gaze taking on a soft look. "After all, you are his only child. His only child who had gone through something so...horrible."

At her worlds, a chill went down Adrian's spine at the reminder of the horrifying death of his mother. His eyes fell closed as he tried to shake the memories from his thoughts. His hands clenched at his sides and a cold sweat seemed to break out upon his pale skin. Distantly, it felt like Carmilla had taken a step closer to him and her hand was placed upon his shoulder as if attempting to comfort him. Her words seemed to echo into around his ears.

"He already lost his wife to the flames. What would happen if he were to lose you too?" A touch to the tear like scar upon his cheek seemed so far away and Adrian's breath stilled within his chest. Those horrid memories tried to resurface, tried to hook their claws into Adrian and drag him down into their thick, burning depths.

"But I'm sure your father would never lose you to those beasts." Carmilla's words yanked Adrian from his thoughts and his eyes flickered open to look up into her icy gaze. "After all, he saved you the first time, right? I know he would stop at nothing to keep you safe."

Breath seemed to flood his lungs. Right, his father did save him. His father was doing all of this to protect him, to punish those who had harmed his mother. He had no reason to worry.

"I'm sorry if I caused you any stress with my words." Carmilla spoke up as she took a step away from Adrian. For some reason, he found he could breathe easier with her at a distance.

"No...it's alright." The dhampir replied with a shake of his head. "I...I should get going." As he moved away from her and towards the exit, the vampire spoke up once more.

"I don't mean to keep you long, but I don't suppose you can answer a question for me, if you wish to that is."

Adrian paused at her words, hesitating at the door before turning around to look once more at the female. A short nod of his head was enough permission for her to continue.

"If you don't mind me asking," She continued, a glint in her eye. "Do you know why your father never turned your mother? I asked him earlier, but I was never given a response. If you don't mind answering, I would like to know."

Adrian took in a small breath, not knowing if he should answer the woman. He understood the curiosity as it was one he occasionally heard one of the other vampires mutter back when this had all began-before this really, back when he was able to understand what was being said. A small fang nibbled at his lip as he thought before answering.

"I don't really know." He replied and he caught a shine of dissatisfaction from the other before he continued. "If I were to guess...it was because she didn't want to change and...and dad respected that."

"I see."

"I really have to go now.' Adrian cut in quickly, wanting to get away before she had a chance to drag him back into a conversation. "I...It was nice meeting you."

With that he scurried away. He allowed his feet to take him away, to carry him to where he felt safe. Soon, he found himself in his room and pulling himself up onto his bed. His left hand reached out and found the stuffed wolf his parents made for him and pulled it to his chest. He took a few breaths to calm himself down from that encounter and allowed the warmth of the sun shining in through his window to comfort him.

Unbeknownst to him, blue eyes had gleaned alongside a smirk as he left the training room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was that. Yeah, Carmilla is a bitch. Also...did you catch the foreshadowing? I'm not gonna say it, that would be too nice of me. Also, with how outright she asked the thing in Dracula's court when she showed up I figured she wouldn't mind trying to get some sort of reaction from his son as well.
> 
> Anywho, feel free to comment, ask questions, etc.
> 
> Until next time! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK so this is a next chapter!
> 
> Thank you all for your reviews/follows/favorites!
> 
> Look! I'm updating this! Again! I'm on a roll with updates. Which is bad because I'm really just procrastinating on final papers but eh.
> 
> Also because I have now incorporated this into this story:
> 
> "Talking" - regular text
> 
> 'Thoughts' - italicized 
> 
> Onto the chapter!

* * *

Dracula watched his son draw in the soft grass from his shaded place in the castle. Things had been tense since Carmilla arrived in the castle and he had no doubt she had been keeping an eye on his child. While it was true that she had good advice for the war, she also had to trouble with poking at sensitive subjects or straddling lines. If anything, Dracula tried to keep Adrian in his sight even more since she came along, not trusting her with his boy. He would try to spend time with him, train him even more and just keep his boy in his sight, but it was also hard to do with the council tense as well. The war was taking him away from Adrian and while it always hurt to see his dejected look, Dracula couldn't bring it in himself to take time away from the war and spend some actual bonding time with his son. He could never just join Adrian out for a walk at night or read a book in one of the many lounges. All his time was spent either making sure his son would be safe or dealing with the war.

Any other time was spent staring into the fire.

He couldn't help it, but he just felt so distant from everything but his anger. Even the love he felt for Adrian paled in comparison to the grief and hatred that bubbled within his body.

"My lord," Isaac's voice come from the doorway. "There is something of importance that needs to be discussed with the council."

"Summon them, then." Dracula drawled, his gaze not leaving Adrian. "I will be there shortly."

"Yes master." Isaac replied before Dracula heard his footsteps leave the room. Letting his eyes trail to the picture his son was scratching, he caught sight of the face of his wife staring up from the paper. Grief welled up within his throat once again and he clenched his fists at the resulting feeling. Of course, this was why he was doing this. For his wife and so that his son may live in a world where he did not have to fear for his life from the heathens that currently populated Wallachia and all of the world before them. They were wicked beings who had no place upon this earth.

Turning away from the window, Dracula made his way through the stone halls to the council room. There he found his council speaking quietly with each other and his eyes lingered on Carmilla for a moment before looking away. There was something he didn't trust about her and it may have something to do with the fact that Adrian seemed to be so uneasy around her.

He settled down within his throne, his cheek resting upon his fist as he awaited for the meeting to begin. He heard Isaac stand off to his side before walking towards the center of the room, drawing the gazes of all the vampires present.

"As always, there were attacks prepared against Gresit which have destroyed its population significantly. However, recently there has been a revolt against the attack. One of my scouts had been watching over the progress of the war and reported back to me about just who exactly had helped lead this revolt which promoted the citizens to also force the horde away from the city."

Dracula raised an eyebrow at the report, eyes glinting at the news of his armies being pushed back. "And who was it that lead the revolt?"

"While the exact party members are unknown," Isaac continued. "It is believed that a Belmont was present at the battle."

"A Belmont? I thought they were all extinct?" Carmilla spoke up, disbelief coloring her voice.

"No, we believe that it was a Belmont and another who aided in repelling our forces from Gresit."

"Then, if there is a Belmont left alive then should we not observe the ancestral Belmont home?" Carilla asked, stepping forward.

"Why?" Godbrand asked, raising an eyebrow at the female vampire before jerking back as she appeared in his face suddenly.

"Perhaps on the general notion that the Belmonts hunted the likes of us for fucking centeries! And if there's one left alive then it might have access to the trove of weapons and magical materials talked of across generations but never found, which they used to hunt us through fucking centeries-!" She took a breath before continuing to glare at Godbrand. "Am I making myself clear now?" Then she whipped around to face Dracula upon his throne. "This is your war council my lord? I understand that taking out as many cities as possible is important but the fact that none of them are worried about a  _Belmont being alive_  worries me! Surely it should worry you as well, for what if they somehow make it here?! What if they make it to your son!"

"Enough!" Dracula growled, launching up from his seat as his heart dropped at the thought of his son at the hands of one of the most dangerous vampire hunters. "We will deal with the Belmont. Have our hordes keep an eye on the roads to the Belmont home as well as the home itself and any towns they may stop in on the way. Then, while the Belmont is being taken care of we must decide on the town to attack next." He narrowed his eyes as he glared into the icy gaze of Carmilla. "No Belmont will touch my child."

* * *

Adrian looked up at the window he knew his father had been standing in only to feel his heart drop at the empty window. Even if he had not been exactly with him, Adrian didn't mind that he had been watching over him, even risking standing in the window during the day time just so he could keep an eye on his son. Adrian looked down at the picture in his hands, the smiling face of his mother staring up at him. He let one of his hands trace the outer layer of the picture before letting it fall and close the sketch book.

Pushing himself up from the grass, Adrian made his way into the castle to head to his father's main library. It wasn't the largest area of books that had been collected, but it was were many of the magic spells were stored. Dracula had told him that he would be teaching Adrian some new spells later in the day and Adrian figured he could wait there until his father was finished with whatever it was that had dragged him away from the window in the first place.

However as he made his way to one of the staircases that would lead him to the upper levels of the castle, he paused. Maybe he could just stop by the council room to see how long the meeting was going to be. It should be easy to see how much longer it would be due to whatever conversation was happening at the time. Plus, he might catch word of something interesting. His father wanted to keep him out of the war as possible but in truth Adrian wanted to know at least some of what was going on. After all, it was his mother that was killed.

He was grieving just as much as his father even if his father was too busy to see so.

Mind made up, Adrian allowed himself to shift into his bat form, a small, white bat that would hopefully allow him to go unnoticed in the council room. Flapping his wings, Adrian swiftly made his way to the room and settled himself by the door, allowing his enhanced hearing to make up for what he couldn't see. Carmilla's voice reached him first, her voice ranting about the war council before he caught what exactly she was ranting about.

_"A Belmont being alive-!"_

_'A Belmont?'_  Adrian couldn't help but think, his eyes widening at the words. Of course he knew about the Belmonts, it was one of the first things that his father had taught him about when he began learning about their history. Of course, they both thought that there would be nothing to worry about as Dracula had told him that the Belmonts had been hunted down a few years before he had been born and eradicated. But now he was hearing that one was alive?

A cold flash of fear went down his spine, only this fear was not just for himself this time. Of course he was worried about coming across the Belmont, of being hunted down and hurt just as he had gone through last year, but this time he was also worried for his father as well. Villagers and every day humans were no match for his father and his armies, that was true, but a Belmont? That was different. Not only would he be in danger, but his father would be as well, perhaps even more so than Adrian. His human half allowed holy items to not have as much of an effect against him, but against his father? Yes he was powerful but Belmonts trained to hunt down powerful vampires!

Terror was the only thing Adrian felt as he allowed himself to transform back into his human form and push open the doors of the council room. Heads turned as he rushed in but he didn't pay attention to any of them as he made his way before his father.

"Adria-?"

"Are you in danger?!" Adrian cut his father off as he stood before him panting. "Is the Belmont coming to kill you?!"

"Adrian, what are you doing here?" Dracula asked as he moved forward to grab his child only for Adrian to shake his head and step back.

"Is the Belmont coming to hunt you down? To hunt us all down?"

"No, no Adrian we will be fine. No Belmont will be able to reach me let alone kill me. I will be alright, Adrian." Dracula soothed as he stepped forward to his boy once again. This time Adrian allowed the touch and Dracula pulled him to his side before addressing the council. "I will return once I have him settled. In the meantime, discuss the next steps in our attack. I will hear the plans when I return."

With those words, he led the dhampir out of the room, not seeing the look Carmilla had in her eyes as she watched them leave. The doors closed with a bang behind them as they continued through the hallways. Dracula glanced down at his son and saw he was keeping his gaze on the floor as they walked.

"Adrian, this is why I do not wish for you to be at the meetings. What were you doing there anyway?"

Adrian bit his lip. "I wanted to see how long it would be until you were finished. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to act out like that, I was just...afraid."

"Yes, I'm sure it wasn't the most comforting thing to hear." Dracula sighed before looking down at Adrian once more. "But you need not worry. We are safe within our home. No Belmont will reach us here."

"Of course." Adrian sighed but he felt a small wave of relief at his father's words. Of course they were safe. He was foolish to think otherwise.

"Now," Dracula spoke up, grabbing his attention. "Why don't you head to the magical library like we planned and I will meet you there."

"But-"

"Adrian, I mean it. I do not want you at these meetings, especially now when obviously it has upset you so much."

"But it was just the fact there is a Belmont alive!" Adrian argued back. "I would be fine in the meetings. I want to know what it going on."

"No." Dracula growled, narrowing his eyes at the blonde. "I do not want you to be in any part of this war. You are to let me and my generals deal with it."

"But-"

"No!" Dracula growled, the volume making Adrian flinch at the tone. At the boy's response, Dracula sighed and repeated in a lower voice. "No. I do not want you to do anything of the sort. Do you understand?" A nod. "Good. Now, go and wait for me. I should be there soon."

Dracula watched Adrian walked to the staircase he had led him to and waited until his son was out of sight before sighing and turning back to the council room.

* * *

Adrian frowned as he made his way up the staircase, pausing only a moment to look back before continuing onwards. He knew his father wanted to protect him, but he really wanted to be a part of this with his father. He wanted to help, to support his father just as much as Dracula was try to protect him. He knew this was one way his father was showing his grief and he wanted to be able to help his father with it, even if that meant partaking a war that he did not fully understand.

Yet at the same time, there was something inside of him that was relieved at the fact that he didn't have to take part in this war. He had been raised by his mother to care for everyone, human or otherwise. Before a year ago, he had never been afraid of people and what they could do. Sure he knew about things that could happen, but he had never experienced more than just a few angry people. Nothing was every as dangerous or as horrible as what he had gone through with his mother. He had seen the good in people and even now there was some doubt as to the whole point of continuing this war. He knew his mother would have something to say about this war, he knew she had said something about it.

Pain shot through his head and his breath hitched at the memories of last year before he shook off the thought process. With a shaky breath he continued on his way but instead of waiting for his father, he made his way to one of the history books that his father kept, one he knew that held a history of the Belmonts.

Opening the book, he skimmed through the words, wanting to know exactly what things this living Belmont could use to attack his father. He knew there wouldn't be much in terms of what it was exactly the Belmonts had, but at the least past encounters could shed some light upon what it was this Belmont could use.

He knew he didn't have to do this, but if a Belmont had survived the destruction of their home, then who's to say they won't try to stay loyal to their family? He knew his father said they would stay safe but Adrian couldn't help but worry. He had faith in his father keeping him safe, but if he wouldn't let him take part in the war, then he could at least be prepared to support his father against a Belmont.

Time passed as Adrian devoted himself to understanding his potential enemy, diving through the books he had been taught about many years ago. There were times he had to pause and take breaths as some of the encounters recalled methods similar to those used against him and his mother, forcing Adrian to skip over that part should he not wish to be dragged into his memories. It wasn't until he heard the door open to the room once more that he looked up to find his father standing there. Quickly, Adrian shut the book he was reading and stood from where he had been sitting against the book cases.

Dracula noticed the books that his son had been reading and sighed as he moved forward. "Adrian-."

"I know what you said." Adrian cut in with a frown. "I know and I trust you to keep us safe, it's just...I want to be able to help. I can't let you take all of the attacks with me just cowering behind you. You're training me to be able to defend myself and because of that I want to be able to help you should something ever happen! I…" he breathed in deeply. "I couldn't help mom when the attack came...and you won't let me take part in the war, but...but please let me help if you ever get hurt. Please...I..I can't lose you! I can't be helpless again! I...I can't...I-" His voice hitched with his tears as he tried to keep himself from falling to pieces.

"Oh...Oh Adrian. Shhhh." Dracula cooed as he pulled the dhampir into his arms. "You aren't helpless."

"But...But I couldn't help mom and she-!...She….please don't leave me! Dad-!"

"Hush, I won't leave you. It's alright. But Adrian," Dracula tilted his son's head up as he whipped away the tears spilling from golden eyes. "I will do everything I have to in order to keep you safe, do you understand. It is not that you are helpless, Quite the opposite if you ask me. It is just a father's duty to protect his child, surely you understand that."

"I-I do...I just...I can't…" Adrian choked on his words, his emotions and fears bubbling over into his voice. He understood what his father was saying. He understood this when he knew his mother was trying to protect him last year, but at the same time he should be able to do something in return. He was a dhampir damnit! He should be able to help them in some way. He didn't know what he would do if he were to watch his father fall in the same way his mother had.

"I know, I understand." Dracula soothed, giving his son a weak smile. "How about this. We will keep up your training and, if for some reason, we are ever attacked here in the castle, then you may aid in the battle unless I say otherwise. At my words, you will flee, do you understand?"

Adrian frowned, turning his watery gaze to the floor before replying. "Alright."

Dracula sighed. "My you are so stubborn. You must get that from your mother." His words got a sad smile from his son. "Now, let's do what we were here to do and practice magic. Alright?"

"Yes father."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was that! Lookie! Also, there is more foreshadowing in there than just Carmilla stuff but I'm not gonna say what.
> 
> Feel free to comment, ask questions, etc.
> 
> Until next time! :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK so this is a next chapter!
> 
> Thank you all for your reviews/follows/favorites!
> 
> Look! I'm updating this! Again!
> 
> Also because I have now incorporated this into this story:
> 
> "Talking" - regular
> 
> 'Thoughts' - italicized
> 
> Onto the chapter!

Night fell upon the castle as Dracula stared into the mirror observing the two towns before him. Later in the night they would be having a council on the place they would finally send the horde onto, whether it be Arges or Braila that would suffer the next attack. He looked over to where his son was reading one of his spell books, eyes scanning over the words determinedly.

"Adrian." He spoke, gaining his son's attention. "You should head off to bed now. You've had a busy day."

"Alright." Adrian replied as he closed the book before him. He started to leave the room only to pause and look back at his father for a moment, worry on his face.

Dracula noticed his hesitation and offered a small smile. "It will be alright, Adrian."

The dhampir gave a smile in response before heading out for the night. He made his way down the halls and up to his room. There he slipped his sheathed sword off of his belt and placed it on his bed. He moved over to look out one of his windows for a few moments, before a knock on his door caught his attention.

"Young master?" A voice called from outside of the door making Adrian frown in confusion.

"Yes?"

"Sir, we need you to come with us." the voice spoke again from outside of the door.

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Adrian asked moving to the door but not yet opening.

"Young master, please don't ask any questions. We just need you to come with us now."

"No. I demand to know what is going on."

A sigh. "Of course you'd be difficult."

"Wha-?" His inquiry was cut off as the door was forced inward and the air was knocked from his chest as his back slammed into the wall behind him. Before him, four men with one dressed in the armor that he recognized as Carmilla's guards entered his room. They each were looking down at him with dark expressions.

However, before Adrian could act, one of the men before him summoned a flame within his hand and the dhampir froze as fear overcame him. His breath that he had just regained stuttered in his chest. He couldn't tear his gaze from the flames flickering before him, couldn't block the sounds of fire from his ears.

"Heh, it's like she said, he really is terrified of fire." One of the men scoffed to the one holding the fire before moving towards Adrian's frozen form. "Come on, lets do this quickly because I'm sure that our entrance caused quite a lot of noise." However, the moment his hand brushed the dhampir's arm, Adrian's eyes widened in fear and soon the man was jumping away from a slashing of claws.

"NO! Stay away!" Adrian cried, lost to him terrifying thoughts as he fought back the phantoms of the priests. "Stay away from me!"

"Shit!" The man hissed, baring his fangs at the boy in frustration.

"Knock him out!" One of the other men hissed back to which he got a glare in return.

"Don't you think I know that!" He hissed back before looking at the flailing child. "Bring the fire closer. I might throw him off and then I might get the chance to knock him out."

As he finished, the vampire wielding the fire came closer causing Adrian to cry out even louder. The two still near the door cursed at that, their attention focused on watching for any new guards that would no doubt come from the commotion.

As Adrian attempted to scramble away from the flames, it allowed the first man an opening he needed. He shot behind the boy and with a quick chop to his neck, the boy was out. Smirking at each other, the second man put out the flame and moved to the window to smash it open so they could make for a quick escape.

"Pass me the kid." The second man said, holding out one of his hands. The first man picked up Adrian and carelessly tossed him to the other vampire who was quick to then launch himself out of the window. The remaining man looked to the two guarding the door before smirking, his hand curling around the discarded longsword on the bed.

"I think I can hear some of the guards heading this way, we need to move quickly." The vampire dressed in the guard's armor stated before letting out a choked gasp as a blade suddenly stabbed him in the side. Turning his gaze to his accomplice, he caught sight of his fellow lookout dead and turning to dust at his feet as well as the first man grinning while holding the blade's hilt in his hand.

"Have to make it look convincing, don't we?" The man smirked as he ripped the blade out. He held it up, admiring the sword. "I gotta admit, the prince has a nice sword. I think I'll be keeping it for myself." With that, he turned and rushed to the window. "See ya."

The guard sneered at the window where the man disappeared. "Bastard." He coughed past his lips as he slumped to the ground in pain, just as a few of Dracula's guards came across the sight and were quick to inform their master.

* * *

The council meeting had been going...better than it usually does and that should have been what tipped him off. They had been making some progress in deciding which town between Braila and Arges that they would be launching their attack on, when a guard suddenly burst into the room.

"What is it?" Dracula asked as he narrowed his eyes at the intruder. Fellow vampire or not, he would have no problems with getting rid of those in the way of his plans.

"Sir, something is happening in young lord Adrian's room." The vampire panted out. "We sent others ahead but-gah!" They were shoved out of the way by Dracula as he rushed from the room, eyes blood red and dread flooding from him.

Rapidly, Dracula rushed towards his sons room, refusing to entertain any idea before he saw the outcome of the situation. However, as his eyes laid upon the empty room behind the busted door and bleeding men, dread fades to rage and his turned to the living vampire bleeding out on the floor.

"What happened here?!" He snarled, teeth bared and eyes soaked in crimson. "Where is my son!?"

"H-He was taken, my lord." The vampire replied, eyes on the ground. "T-Three vampires...t-they took him, I...I think to the humans but...but I don't know why…"

With a roar of anger, Dracula's claws whipped out and sliced into the vampire before him, blood spraying the wall as the life left the guard. Seething, Dracula turned to those behind him, his army and his generals watching on as he took out his anger.

"They will pay for what was done tonight." He growled. "I want them hunted down, I want them all slaughtered until my boy is back in my arms. Send out every last vampire and demon, send them out to every last town and every last city until the roads are bathed with blood."

"Should we not take a moment to think about this?" Carmilla spoke up, her eyebrow raising in question. "Sending out every last soldier at our disposal with not plan can end with disaster."

"I do not care if it is to end in disaster." Dracula hissed. "I do not care who gets in my way. What I care about is that my son is returned to me alive! If you are planning on standing in my way then I will not hesitate to make you move, do you understand?" As he spoke, he moved so that his form was towering over the female vampire, bathing her in his shadow.

"I do not mean to stand in your way." Carmilla spoke, her eyes moving away and her head turning down to show her subservience. "I merely wish to aid you in your son's recovery, but I do not think that acting rashly with achieve that. I'm sure just as my men attempted to stop the kidnapping, they will surely aid in returning him to you. But we must plan for this. Surely you can see where I am coming from, my lord?"

Dracula stared down at her before turning and stalking his way past his generals. "I don't care. I will hold off on a complete attack for now, but that does not mean I will not be sending out swarms to find my son. If you do not have a feasible plan within the next two days, my army will be sent out whether you care about a plan or not." With one last look at her, Dracula walked away from the crowd, calling his forgemasters after him.

"I don't get it." Godbrand spoke up as he took in the state of the room after Dracula was long gone. "Why would vampires kidnap the kid?"

Carmilla shrugged. "Perhaps the humans convinced them somehow. Wouldn't surprise me if they had thoughts that went against our Lord's plans."

"Sure, but why take the brat?" Godbrand continued. "I've done my fair share of enacting revenge and I know that if you wanted him to see the death of his kid, they should have just killed him here and left Dracula to clean up the mess. If you ask me, it would have the same result."

"They probably took him as either a way of trying to bargain with Dracula or even as a threat. Perhaps they even have their own plans for the boy, I wouldn't know." Carmilla replied, hands on her hip. "What I do know is that, this is at least a better situation than if the boy had died right before our eyes."

"And why is that?"

"Think, if Adrian had been killed with no hope for Dracula to get him back, he would have gone on a rampage and there would be a high chance we would be in the collateral."

"Yeah, but he's already going on a rampage." Gadbrand huffed.

"Yes, but if his son would have been killed, the extermination of the human race would be inevitable." Carmilla paused. "Or at least, more inevitable than it already is. This way, we can at least by time by helping his look for his son."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'more inevitable'? Surely he isn't planning on wiping out the entire human race." Godbrand protested. "What would we eat?!"

"Surely you notice by now all of the blood we've been given has been that of animal blood, haven't you?" Carmilla pointed out. "I'm positive that this has been his plan all along."

"Well, than what do you propose we do about it?"

Carmilla smirked. "What we need is a plan and time." Her eyes glinted with hidden glee as she looked back at the disrupted children's room "Which is something our Lord's son has given us."

* * *

"Did you cover our tracks?" The tall vampire holding Adrian over his shoulders like a sack asked the other when he caught up to him.

"You could say that." The other vampire smirked as he wiped the bloody blade in the snow.

"Do I even want to ask?"

"Look, we were told to make it look convincing, so I did. Besides," He twirled the blade. "I got a nice sword out of it."

The taller vampire sighed, shaking his head before continuing on running in the direction of human towns with his partner following. "Whatever. We just need to drop the brat off close to a town now, right? Whichever one is closer to the Belmont that was spotted?"

"I don't understand why we don't just kill the brat now and be done with it." The other vampire huffed. "That would make our job a lot easier."

"Yeah, but killing the kid makes an angry Dracula, remember?"

"Last I checked, this probably made him angry."

"Yes, but, remember what Carmilla said? Keeping the boy alive gives her more time to deal with Dracula and take over the whole attack. If the boy dies and it gets back to Dracula before she can do anything? Well, there is a good chance he'll completely lose it. Besides, giving the kid to humans means he has a better chance of surviving."

"Not if we are giving him to the Belmont."

"Well, it's not like she wanted to keep him alive. Just buy some time."

"Whatever."

They continued on their track, easily running past the trees and over hills with their vampiric enhancements. After many miles and many hours, they found themselves coming upon the road the Belmont was last reported being seen upon. The sun had already begun peaking above the horizon, though the men had cloaks to protect them, and they knew that the towns were to the far ends of the road so that while they could not see them, the boy would stumble across them if he follows the road.

"This is a good place to put him, yeah?"

The man carrying Adrian shrugged. "Good enough." With that, he tossed the boy down who groaned at the impact of hitting the ground, eyes scrunching up from the disturbance. "How hard did you hit him?"

The other shrugged. "As hard as I could. We needed to keep him unconscious and the brat is the kid of one of the most powerful vampires out there. I don't think he would have stayed out for the trip if I held back at all."

"Alright, well, we did are part." The first huffed as he cracked his back. "Let's take a break in the shade and when it's safe, we'll leave."

"And just what do you think you two are doing?" A female voice chimed up from behind them making them jump. The vampires whipped around and found a red-haired woman dressed in blue watching them, one of her eyebrows raised pointedly at them.

The two vampires stared at her for a moment before smirking.

"Hello there little lady." The taller vampire smirked. "Don't you think it's a bit dangerous to be talking to strangers in the woods?"

"No, not really." She shrugged. "Especially when it looks like their up to no good."

"Now, now," He smiled as the shorter vampire turned to walk closer to her. "You may want to be a bit more careful with what you're saying. You wouldn't want anything...unfortunate to happen, would you?" He flashed his fangs from underneath his hood at her.

"I could say the exact same thing to you." She replied. However, before the vampire could reply, his taller companion let out a shout and he turned just in time to see the other explode into dusk as a whip cracked at him.

A crackling noise reached his ears and he moved just in time to see a shard of ice fly past him. Baring his teeth at the female, he watched as a brown-haired male came to stand beside her, a familiar crest upon his shirt. His eyes glinted at it, excitement flooding his body because the person they needed to find all this time happened to stumble across them.

"Well, if it isn't the Belmont." He called before pulling out the sword he stole from the dhampir.

"Yeah, yeah," The man huffed with a roll of his eyes. "Look, you can do the whole...gloaty talky thing if you want but I really don't care." Then, with a crack of his whip, he attacked with shards of ice accompanying him.

Hoping the sword would aid him, he brought it up to block the attacks only for it to freeze in the air, resisting his complete strength as he tried to move it.

"What the he-GA!" He choked out as the attacks descended upon him and soon the vampire was no more. The blade fell from his withering grasp and, in a blink of an eye, was beside the now away young dhampir who stared around in confusion and fear before his eyes settled on the two remaining people before him.

"You know, I had it." The female pouted at the male as he gathered up his whip.

"Yeah, well, you should have been quicker."

"Yes, because you were so fast to get them in the beginning."

"Look, I was trying to be stealthy."

"Please, your thundering feet were only hidden due to the fact that I had them distracted." She retorted as she turned away from the male.

"Hey, I think-"

"Oh!" She cut him off as her gaze fell upon the awake dhampir. "Oh, you're awake! That is good!" She cried as she went to move closer only for the teen to scramble away from her, his back hitting the tree behind him. The woman paused in her movements at his actions and help her hands up in a peaceful gesture. "Hey, it's alright now. You're safe."

"Stay back!" The teen shouted in fear, golden eyes wide and shining, though between the two before him, his gaze kept lingering on the male.

"Shush, it's alright, really. You don't need to be scared."

"Wait," the man spoke up, his brow furrowed and his voice wary. "Sypha, hold on a second."

"Not now Trevor!" She hissed back before looking back at the scarred teen. "Ignore him, he's an idiot."

"No, seriously, Sypha-!"

"What is there to be worried about?"

"It's just that-."

"I said stay back!" The teen cried when both of them shuffled forward, Sypha hoping to get closer and Trevor aiming to stop her. Either way, the moment they got closer, the sword at the boy's side sprang up from the ground and positioned itself between the teen and the two older people. The two let out sounds of surprise at the display before Trevor's hand shifted to his whip and the teen's eyes followed the movement.

"This is what I was going to warn you about." He grumbled, eyes focused on the blonde teen. "It's dangerous."

"What are you talking about?" Sypha exclaimed exasperatedly. She motioned to the teen. "He's just scared! So what if he can do magic? That doesn't mean he's dangerous! He's just a scared little boy!"

"No Sypha," Trevor replied, eyes narrowing. "He's dangerous. In fact, the fact that he can do such magic after just waking up and in the day time no less makes him even more dangerous. That right there is no innocent, scared child." He gripped his weapon tighter and the teen returned his glare.

"That right there is a fucking vampire."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! Sypha and Trevor are here! Yay! And Dracula has lost it even more!
> 
> Anywho feel free to comment, ask questions, etc.
> 
> Until next time! :D


End file.
